Live and Let Love
by moonrainer
Summary: After feeling lost and lonely for months, Neville is surprised to find Luna on his doorstep one summer evening. Turns out she didn't just come to bring him cake...


**A/N** All the characters and places you recognise here are based on J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. The story below, however, is entirely my own.

 **Written for** The Golden Snitch's _International Days of June_ (Donut Day) / Beauxbatons, Barbegazi

* * *

The first thing Neville saw was a bright green bulk. Only after a moment he realised that he was facing a rotating three-tiered cake. A second, more attentive look revealed that it sported eight enchanted candles which jumped up and down between the tiers as well as a hand-sized, slightly swaying sugar replica of a mimbulus mimbletonia at the very top. The little cactus had a glittery sign saying "Happy Birthday, Neville!" attached to its plant pot.

"I suppose you're silently asking me to come in," said a voice from behind the massive construction, and before he understood what was going on, the cake was already moving towards him. Neville quickly retreated to make room and nearly fell over his hat stand in the process.

Glancing up, he saw that in the door to his small home, elegantly waving her wand to levitate the cake, stood Luna Lovegood. She looked slightly bewildered as per usual and was wearing a flowery travelling cloak that resembled one of Neville's grandma's old dressing gowns.

A smile spread on Neville's face. "Luna! What a pleasant surprise!" He indicated for her to enter.

Luna stepped inside as she looked him up and down, her gaze slightly lingering on his right shoe before it returned to his eyes. "Yes," she said, "It certainly _is_ good to see you too, Neville."

With a flick of her wand, the cake floated into the far corner of Neville's small living room, gently landing on his desk. On cue, the mimbulus mimbletonia quietly started hooting _Happy Birthday to You_.

"I know the cake's bit late," Luna apologised, "but I trust you got my singing telegram on the day?"

Neville tried very hard to keep the smile on his face and nodded. "Thank you, Luna. That was very thoughtful of you." He didn't remember the serenading dwarfs fondly; their screeching still haunted him.

To change the subject, he quickly asked, "Why don't you have a seat?" He gestured towards the armchair next to his decrepit fireplace that hadn't been able to manage floo powder since he'd moved in.

Luna twirled a lock of her dirty blonde hair and shook her head. "I'd much rather lie down on the floor if that's alright?"

Neville felt a familiar warmth in his heart. This was the Luna he knew and loved. Oh, how he'd missed her… He nodded in reply, beaming. "Be my guest!" he said, before taking her coat. When she sprawled out on his rug, he sat down next to her, cross-legged. The whole situation made him feel like they were fifteen again.

After a short silence that made it clear to him that she wasn't going to start a conversation (or at least not in the near future), he said, "I wasn't aware that you were in the country."

"It was an accident, actually," she giggled. "We took the wrong portkey."

Neville could barely hold back a laugh. He'd never heard of anything like that happening to anyone, but of course Luna would be the first person to tell him about such an experience. Amused, he shook his head.

"And how is Rolf? Still continuing his grandfather's legacy?"

"Yes, he is indeed!" Luna beamed with pride. "And he is quite well, thank you. Although a Murtlap bit him in the toe last month," she added. "But his foot has already shrunken back to only twice its size."

"Nasty beasts, those Murtlaps," Neville muttered.

"Well," Luna replied, "I think they're really fascinating. But understandably, they can get quite cross when you step on them."

Neville snorted. Talking to Luna was great. He was so glad to have her visiting. At this realisation, he threw his hands to his head. "Oh, how rude of me! Can I offer you a drink?" Before she could reply, he'd already jumped up and was hurrying towards his pantry. "I've got a very good vintage of firewhisky that I've been saving for a special occasion!"

"Thanks for the offer," Luna said, "but I'm pregnant."

Neville almost crashed into the pantry door. "Merlin's beard!" He grabbed the door handle, steadied himself, and turned around. "Wow! That's- Congratulations!"

"Thank you." Luna had propped herself up on one elbow. Her face was glowing. "It was a bit unexpected, but Rolf and I are very happy."

Desperate to find the right words, Neville didn't quite know what to do with his hands. "Er… I mean... Wow! When are you due?" She wasn't showing yet, Neville realised, so he hadn't been too unobservant.

"Oh." She scrunched up her face in befuddlement. "I forgot." Humming, she let herself fall on her back again and stretched her arms and legs towards the ceiling. "But what about you?"

It took him a second to understand that she wasn't asking when he'd give birth, but rather what was new with him.

"Er..."

What _was_ going on in his life? Compared to her big news and all her adventures, his existence seemed rather mundane.

"Well, nothing that you don't already know, I guess." He ran a hand through his hair. "Still teaching at Hogwarts, no wife, no children..." Neville trailed off. When he shot a nervous glance at Luna, her big eyes were resting on him. "The usual," he finished lamely.

"My dear Neville…" Luna suddenly looked serious. "This is so superficial. You used to tell me other things. Different things."

"What do you mean?" he asked, irritated by her sudden change in mood.

"As much as I hate to admit it… You've escaped me," she sighed. When his confused expression wouldn't leave his face, she clarified, "We've lost touch."

Even though he didn't want to, he had to agree with her. Prior to his birthday a couple of days ago, he hadn't heard from her in ages. It must have been months if not a year since her last letter.

"I know it's my fault," she almost whispered.

"Luna," Neville immediately interjected, but her critical look silenced him. Awkwardly, he shuffled his feet. "Well… It's quite hard to find you these days, to be honest. And you're not really keeping me in the loop."

Luna nodded faintly. "I know. Everything is so unpredictable and … fast. Sometimes I forget who I am."

She stretched out her hands towards Neville, inviting him to sit back down with her, which he gladly did. When she took his hands in hers, it felt like they weren't so far apart anymore after all.

"I'm glad I've got Rolf," she continued. "He keeps me grounded."

 _Not all of us are so lucky_ , he thought without scorn.

As if she was reading his mind, Luna asked, "Are you lonely, Neville?" Her frankness didn't surprise him.

At first, he dismissed this idea, mainly because it came from her. He was coping and didn't have anything to complain about … right? Still, deep down, he knew that it was true: He was lonely. He had admitted it to himself on one of last winter's darkest days. Since then, Neville hadn't been able to fully convince himself again that he was actually fine. After his grandmother had died, he had started feeling lost, more than ever before. He didn't know whom to turn to anymore. His isolation scared him.

Neville sighed heavily. "I think I am, Luna." Saying it out loud was a relief, but the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that he'd already gotten so used to remained.

His friend pulled him into a hug. They stayed like that for a little while, but after a minute, Neville wiped a stray tear off his face and let go of her.

With a reassuring smile on her lips, Luna squeezed his hands. "You don't have to be, you know."

That was easy to say. It wasn't like he wanted to be alone. Everyone was just too far away for him to reach. All of his friends were settled in their lives far away from Hogwarts, and Neville's relationships to his colleagues never quite seemed to transcend the professional.

"I don't know where to start," he admitted, trying hard to keep the desperation out of his voice.

Luna's clear and determined gaze made him pause. "I chose love, you know." He knew immediately what she meant, mainly because he'd thought about this matter a lot during the past few months. He could go looking for someone to give his heart to. He could find a partner.

But again, he reminded himself of the reason that kept him from making the first step: He was scared, afraid of what he might find. He'd only fallen in love once before, and it hadn't ended well. It hadn't been anyone's fault, but it had scarred him. Should he try again and take the risk of getting hurt?

After musing in silence for a moment, he decided asked the one question that would help him to decide. It was a question that had been on his mind for years now. "Are you really happy, Luna?"

Luna smiled, and he could tell that it was genuine. "As happy as I can be, yes." She squeezed Neville's hands. "It's not as hard as you think. Really."

"If you can say that after that abominable Murtlap incident, I guess there's hope for me." They both erupted in laughter.

After that, they talked for a long time, staying up into the small hours of the morning. Luna told him countless stories of her trips and adventures with Rolf, most of which made him laugh so hard it made his belly hurt. She also elaborated on her newfound love for baking with magic (which explained the bewitched birthday cake) and asked him questions about various plants and fungi that she planned to use for her future creations.

When Neville finally saw her off at the door, Luna gave him a hug that lasted for at least two minutes and swore – on the existence of the Crumple-Horned Snorkack – to stay in touch.

Before she left, Neville had one last question for her. "What's the deal with the eight candles?"

"Isn't that obvious?" Luna smirked. "One for every four years of your life." With that, she gave him a peck on the cheek, turned around, and vanished with a loud crack.

Even after she had disapparated, leaving only a slight scent of fresh radishes, Neville kept absent-mindedly staring at the spot where she had last stood. Luna had made it: She'd found the life and love that was meant for her, and she was content. Neville felt happy for her. Still, he couldn't help but hold his own existence against hers for comparison.

Neville was alone, without a family. But he loved teaching and his students, and he couldn't think of anything that he'd rather be doing. Travelling like Luna would never be for him. He was glad that their paths still crossed sometimes, but that they weren't the same (like he once used to hope). It was for the best.

Regardless, he had no one to share his life with, and it bothered him now more than it ever had before. Seeing his peers in thriving relationships and starting their families made him want that for himself as well. So was this something he should actively work towards – finding a partner? Could he really just choose love?

He thought back to how determined Luna had been and how joyful she had come across, and this gave him his answer. Yes, it was possible.

But there was no need to rush things. He would be open to it, but he wouldn't force anything. He couldn't make himself heal and fall in love again, but he could certainly stop brooding and instead venture out of his comfort zone to form new connections. He could just let things fall into place. After all, life just happened, didn't it?

Slowly, Neville closed his door behind him and with that, vowed to start a new chapter of his life.

* * *

 **A/N** I don't really know what to say about this story to be honest. I was one of my projects for this July's Camp NaNoWriMo, but I'm not sure if it makes a great deal of sense because I've been staring at it for too long. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed if you made it this far! ;)


End file.
